Imperialism
Saanvi Kunisetty
Imperialism is a fundamentally American tradition. The speech given by Chief Seattle, head of a Native American tribe, explicitly stated the Americans keen interest in constantly expanding and settling in the nation, rather than appreciating its beauty as it is presently. It was also indicated that the Americans were willing to oppress and disregard the Indian tribes and send them away to a reservation, so that they could happily expand their settlement and gain more land without any uprisings from the Indians. In the account of a pioneer on the Oregon trail during the Westward expansion, the importance of expansion is indirectly illustrated. The woman describes all the tough tasks, frightening situations, casualties, and much more that the pioneers must toil through in order for some of them to reach the Pacific Coast of Oregon and settle there. From this, it is evident that the Americans are willing to risk and sacrifice so much simply for the sake of gaining more land and expanding their settlements. In the third source, an excerpt from a book written by Theodore Roosevelt, it is obvious that he, a President of the United States, values Imperialism beyond many other factors, and is not ashamed to admit it. In fact, he is willing to completely demean and disregard the Indians for the sake of America’s gain in land. Hence, Imperialism is in fact, a fundamentally American tradition.
Sources:
https://americanhistory.abc-clio.com/Search/Display/298691?terms=westward+expansion&sTypeId=2
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